Motion Congratulating Durban for Being Named UNESCO City of Literature

The African National Congress moves without notice: That the House

1) congratulates Durban for being officially granted the prestigious designation UNESCO Cities of Literature;
1) notes that UNESCO Cities of Literature was created in 2004 to promote co-operation with and among cities that had identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development;
2) also notes that the 180 cities which currently make up this network working together towards a common objective of placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans;
3) recognises that the KwaZulu-Natal coastal city is the first African city to have received UNESCO Cities of Literature;
4) believes that as a UNESCO Cities of Literature, Durban commits to build a welcoming and cooperative network that reflects the diversity and richness of the world's languages and literatures;
5) further believes that the achievement was not just for Durban, but was an achievement for the country and continent as a whole;
6) and thanking Durban for flying the South African flag high in international arena; and
7) wishes her more success in her endeavour to promote literature and creative arts tourism and encouragement of dialogue between cities.